Of Heavens and Hells
by alpha087
Summary: Following the events of Hammer of the Gods, Gabriel returns to Heaven. Determined to try and stick around this time, Gabriel finds herself torn between the Trickster she is and the perfect daughter her family wants her to be. Spoilers for SPN Season 5, Fem!Gabriel
1. Honey, I'm Home!

It was dark, and cold, and Gabriel was sneezing dust.

She shot up from the floor of the conference room and looked around wildly. Her gamble paid off, it seemed. No one but her was present in the conference room, or, she suspected, in the entire hotel.

And she was still in a male vessel. This. Sucked.

How had her life led her here? She knew the answer of course. It was repressed anger and hurt over Lucifer and Michael and Father being unable to resolve their differences that drove her this far. And now? Now her cover as Loki was blown. Maybe she'd traveled long enough.

She pulled the fake angel blade from her stomach and vacated the body of Abram, son of Abner, for the first time in millennia.

It was time to go home.

Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

The Silver City never changed, Gabriel mused as she flew towards her Father's palace. Angels below her watched her fly by in astonishment. She didn't blame them. She hadn't been around in forever. She took notice of the fact that Silver City fashion had advanced - to Medieval styles. Fun. She touched down in front of the massive silver and gold palace of her Father and walked inside with a confidence she definitely did not feel.

The shocked looks on the faces of her Father and siblings was well worth it. As expected, her brother Amenadiel stepped forward to defend the Family.

"Who are you, and how did you get in?" he roared at her.

Gabriel smirked. "I'm hurt, Meny. don't you recognize your baby sister?"

Azrael stepped up and laid a hand on Amenadiel's arm. "How dare you come in here and pretend to be Gabriel? You know as well as we that Gabriel has been dead for months."

Gabriel's eyes hardened. "You don't believe me, eh?" She flared her wings, all 14 fourteen feet of golden feathers. She slipped her blade into her hands and continued. " _I am the Messenger of Heaven, Speaker of Truth, Bender of Reality. I am the Angel of the Moon. I am the Divine Judge. I am the Archangel Gabriel._ "

This time, it was her Father who stood. "Welcome home, Daughter."

Gabriel smiled softly. "Thank you, my Lord."

Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Later that evening, Azrael came to Gabriel's rooms.

"It is time for dinner, sister." Gabriel just looked at her. "I've been asked to escort and ensure that you are properly attired."

Gabriel groaned. "Can't I just wear this?" She gestured to her jeans and plaid shirt, which she'd taken from the shorter Winchester.

"No!" Azrael cried, looking aghast. She crossed to the closet and pulled out a long white dress, that didn't have a back.

"What! Why? And why white?" Azrael shoved the dress at the protesting Gabriel and pulled out a tiara.

"You are the youngest Princess of Heaven. You will be properly attired for your first royal dinner in millennia."

Gabriel reluctantly began to put the dress on. She heard Azrael gasp from behind her. She turned. "What? Does it not fit or something?"

Azrael had covered her mouth with both hands, and now she lowered them, pointing at Gabriel's torso. "Where'd you get that scar?"

"Oh," Gabriel looked down at the circular scar. "That's where Luci stabbed me."

"I-I knew you'd died, we all felt it, but it was Lucifer who stabbed you?" Azrael breathed. "How are you still here?"

Gabrie grinned in spite of herself. "Fake blade. A really, _really_ good one, apparently."

Azrael came behind her and placed the tiara gently on her head. They both looked in the mirror.

"Azzy," Gabriel started in a small voice, "how long has it been, since Lucifer stabbed me, I mean?"

Azrael didn't answer for a moment, preoccupied with Gabriel's hair. "11 months."

"What did I miss?"

"The Apocalypse was averted by the Vessels Winchester, and Michael fell into the Cage. But enough of that. I've missed you, sister." Azrael whispered. "Let's go to dinner."

Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Dinner was a silent affair. After they'd finished, God looked to Gabriel and asked the question.

"So, tell me, Daughter. Where have you been?"

Gabriel stood and walked to the window. "I left."

"We know that. Where did you go?"

"Oh, you know. Here and there." She smirked. "Went pagan for awhile, played Trickster, screwed with the Winchesters, and then faked my own death via Lucifer in an ill-fated attempt to help the brothers delay Apocalypse Now, and here I am!" She spread her hands and spun around to face her horrified Family.

Raphael spoke first. "You worshipped the pagan gods?!"

Gabriel shook her head. "No, Raphy, I _was_ the pagan god. Loki Silvertongue, God of Chaos, Magic, and Trickery." She cocked her head. "I guess it's god _dess_ now, isn't it? Or, rather it would be, if Kali hadn't blown my cover." She scowled. "Damn you, Kali."

"Lucifer _stabbed_ you?" Uriel asked. Gabriel nodded. "Why?"

"Well, I mean, I dunno, but probably because I took the humans' side in the whole thing." Blank looks. "Look, he wanted to kill Kali, and I actually liked Kali, so I intervened. Told him he was a great big bag of dicks and that if Michael were there, I'd shiv his ass too. Said I was on the side of the humans, and then told him they were better. Conjured a fake blade, Lucifer stabbed me and I woke up a good time later. In hindsight, I think my fake blade was a little _too_ good, if had that effect."

Gabriel looked around. "Where is Michael, anyway? Thought you'd have pulled his sorry ass out of the cage as soon as he fell in."

"We did. He's out in the barracks." Amenadiel replied. "He'll be in shortly."

The five archangels stared Gabriel, who straightened with a shit-eating grin. "What, did you think I'd be perfect, innocent, little Gabriel? After all these years?" Her face hardened. "Sorry to disappoint. I haven't been that girl since you declared war on my favorite brother."

And then she walked out.


	2. Hey, Assbutt!

Gabriel reflected on the events of the last night as she lay in a too quiet room pretending to sleep. Her arrogant brother, Michael, had decided she wasn't quite trustworthy, and had stationed guards in and outside her room for the night. Gabriel thought he was being ridiculous, quite frankly, and had decided to go out first thing that morning to determine the state Heaven was in.

Dawn saw the wayward Archangel quietly rising and grabbing some clothes for the day before sneaking out the window. It seemed that Michael's guards had left her room sometime in the night, but that didn't mean they weren't loitering outside her door. if anyone had looked up at the castle that morning, they'd have seen the familiarly unfamiliar sight of Gabriel climbing down the wall.

She jumped the last few feet to the ground and darted into the (completely unnecessary) stables and changed out of the ridiculously frilly nightgown Azrael had shoved her into last night. Once she was dressed like a normal person, she walked out nonchalantly, whistling Heat of the Moment.

She'd been absent from the Silver City for longer than she cared to admit and exploring was very high on her to-do list.

First stop, the market-place. Gabriel was starving.

 _I wonder if my siblings have invented candy yet._

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As it turned out, they had invented candy. It wasn't as good as chocolate, but it was concentrated bits of sugar molecules, and Gabriel had to settle. She wandered the market for a while, feeling particularly invisible. Caught up in her mind as she was, she didn't notice the seraph in front of her until she ran smack dab into him.

Balthazar. Damn.

"Hey, watch where you're – Gabriel?!" Balthazar's voice filled with incredulity.

Gabriel looked up – when had everyone gotten taller than her? "Hey, Balthy."

"What are you, y'know, doing here?" Gabriel started to walk. Balthazar followed.

"I'm walking, Balthazar," Gabriel deadpanned. "Away from you." Balthazar kept following.

"It's just that, well, everyone thought you were _dead,_ Gabey." Balthazar led her off into an alley. "We all felt it."

Gabriel shrugged. "What can I say, it didn't stick." Gabriel turned on her heel and started out of the alley. "Now leave me alone, Balthazar. I have things I actually want to get done today."

Balthazar followed her. "where do you want to go?" Gabriel directed a withering glare at him.

"Why?" She asked.

"you haven't been around in a long time, Gabriel," Balthazar started seriously, "and I'll show you around, if you want."

Gabriel smiled. "I'm going to the training grounds next. I don't wanna get rusty, just 'cuz Michael's being an arrogant dick."

"Ok." Balthazar gestured grandly. "Right this way, Princess."

Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

The training grounds were packed, and the crowds parted like the Red Sea when Gabriel and Balthazar arrived. The seraphim stared silently as they approached Michael, who frowned.

"Gabriel. What are you doing?"

"I'm walking, Michael," Gabriel snapped. "Or am I not trustworthy enough for that?"

Balthazar laughed, a bright sound that cut off at Michael and Gabriel's combined exasperated glare.

Michael turned back to Gabriel. "You know what I mean, sister. What are you doing _here_?"

Gabriel ignored his question in favor of surveying the assembled (unclaimed) angel blades. "Hey, Balthazar, spar with me?" She watched in bemusement as Balthazar spluttered and looked around at his fellow seraphs for help. No one offered.

"Michael, then. Care for a spar?" Michael's eyes were hard as he gazed upon her, but he nodded once, tersely, and the two Archangels got into position. "Balthazar, could you referee?"

"Yeah, sure," he nodded, and Gabriel lunged at Michael. She had some anger to work out.

.

.

.

Unfortunately, she only managed to land one hit on Michael before he blocked her. He slashed at her with his blade, and when she went to block him, he knocked her blade out of her hands. Balthazar raised is hand to declare Michael the victor, but Gabriel, in the process of working out years of bottled up anger, forwent the blade and simply punched Michael as hard as she could in the face.

Michael stumbled back, bringing a hand to his face. "You punched me!"

"You ruined my entire LIFE!" Gabriel went in for another jab. Michael blocked and punched Gabriel back.

"What in Father's Name are you talking about?!" Gabriel kicked out at Michael, who dodged and hit Gabriel in the side. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Balthazar herding the angels out of the way of the fighting Archangels.

"I'm talking about how I was _twelve years old_ and you dragged me into a war against the only sibling who'd ever given a shit about me." Gabriel picked up her blade and slashed across Michael's chest. "I'm talking about how I was seventeen, with no idea who I was supposed to be, and I had to watch as you all ignored my Judgment and Cast out my brother!"

Michael hit Gabriel's mouth and she tasted blood. She dropped, slashed across the back of Michael's knee, bringing him to the ground.

Then she spat at him and walked away.

Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

When Balthazar caught up to her, she was halfway to the castle.

"Gabriel! Gabriel, slow down!" He caught up and stopped in front of her. "You're bleeding. You need to go to Raphael."

Gabriel glared. "I'm not going to Raphael." Balthazar nodded as if in agreement, and Gabriel made to walk around him when he leaned down and picked her up.

"Come on, we're going to see Raphael." Raphael freaked out when he saw the state Gabriel was in. He directed Balthazar to a bed. Balthazar laid Gabriel down, and she promptly stood back up.

"Gabriel, sit back down," Raphael admonished, "now, what happened to you?"

Gabriel crossed her arms and turned her head away. "I _said_ I was fine."

"Stop being a petulant child, Gabriel, you're an adult now," snapped Raphael.

"It was Michael," Balthazar put in. Gabriel shot him a betrayed look.

Raphael glared at him. "Why are you still here?"

Balthazar backed towards the door. "I was just leaving." And then he left.

"So," Raphael turned to Gabriel, "you decided to spar with Michael, and he beat the Grace out of you, eh?"

Gabriel glared. "I beat him up, too." Raphael laughed and waved a hand over Gabriel, healing her.

"I'm sure you did, Gabriel." Raphael chuckled. "Get going, Azrael was looking for you."

Gabriel slid off the bed and strode to the door.

"And stay away from the training grounds. You're a Princess, not a warrior."

Gabriel grit her teeth and kept walking.


	3. Ya Can't The Trick Out Of The Trickster

Balthazar quickly turned into Gabriel's best friend. What with her studiously avoiding anything to do with her Family, hanging out with Balthazar became her favorite (and only) pastime. It was weeks after her fight with Michael before he allowed her back onto the training grounds, so she and Balthazar were often found in the alleyways sparring, eventually teaching fledglings to fight.

Her self-enforced ostracization ended when Balthazar approached her one day after their impromptu alleyway class.

"Gabriel, darling," he purred, "I need your help."

Gabriel glanced at him as they walked through the market. "What with?"

Balthazar didn't answer for moment. When he did, it was with an oddly serious tone. "I need your help breaking into the weapons vault." Gabriel stopped short, gaping at him. Balthazar kept walking.

"Wha-What!?" Gabriel ran to catch up, and when she did, she dragged him into a nearby alcove. "What the hell, Balthazar? Why?"

Balthazar looked around furtively. "There's a civil war going on here, Gabe. Haven't you noticed the way fewer and fewer people stop to talk, how less fledglings have been showing up to our classes?"

She had noticed. She'd assumed that parents were disapproving of their children learning to fight from a girl, a Princess at that, and that was why fledglings stopped coming. As for people not speaking to them, well, Gabriel wasn't all that popular since word got around about the Loki thing, and truth be told, Gabriel was a tad self-absorbed.

Balthazar nodded grimly. "Raphael went crazy, Gabriel. You didn't notice because you haven't been around the other Archs, but he's trying to take over."

Gabriel shook her head in confusion. "He can't, though, Father-"

"God ditched."

"Well, then, surely Amenadiel-"

"Nope, he's out of commission too for a while. Lucifer left Hell to vacation in LA. Amenadiel left to convince him to go back." Gabriel opened her mouth, but Balthazar cut her off. "And Michael, he's gone, too. God sent him off to, well, God knows where."

Gabriel was silent for a moment. "So Raphy's really in charge then." The idea wasn't pleasing; Raph was douche. She grinned, slow and wicked. "I'll help you. I could use a Trickster session; this place is so stuffy."

Balthazar matched her grin.

Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Stealing the key to the vault from Amenadiel's rooms was depressingly easy. Gabriel was a little disappointed, actually. Balthazar met her at the stables instead of in the market. Gabriel frowned at him, bent over and panting with his hands on his knees.

"You're late."

Balthazar nodded to her, holding up one finger. Catching his breath, he straightened up. "I'm sorry, darling, but your brother has got guards everywhere, searching everyone." He grinned widely. "Seems someone stole the key to the vault."

Gabriel smirked and held up the key. "It wasn't even hard. You'd think the eldest Archangel would find a better place to hide his large, silver key than hanging on the bedpost," Gabriel shrugged. "There's a reason angels don't fit with the more... shall we say, versatile pagans."

Balthazar gave her a look. "On behalf of angels everywhere, ouch." Gabriel only smirked and walked off.

The Silver City had been subject to some terrible planning. The palace was on the northern side, with the armory/training grounds on the southern border, closest to the Gates of Heaven. The weapons vault was east of the City, far from any form of civilization, and far from the warriors who might actually need it. The advantage was that no one ever expected anyone to visit, let alone try and break in, so the guards were lax in their duties. The disadvantage? No one ever went there. Gabriel and Balthazar's presence would be recorded if they weren't careful, which meant no flying. They had to do the unexpected and walk.

"So." Balthazar started, about an hour in. Gabriel hummed noncommittally. "How are we doing this, oh Tricky One?"

Gabriel rolled her eyes. "You weren't listening last night, then?" Balthazar shrugged. "You are keeping lookout. I will break in, using my wealth of pagan magic so no one will recognize it."

"Hang on, why can't I break in?" Balthazar asked, verging on whining.

"You're too..." Gabriel gestured helplessly.

"You just gestured to all of me." Balthazar glared.

"Exactly." Gabriel said flatly. Balthazar pouted. "Fine, you can distract. Now shut up. We're close."

The two of them ducked behind a large bush. "I feel so dirty right now," Gabriel muttered. Balthazar shot her a weird look. "Hiding behind bushes? I've become a bad cliché!" Rolled eyes was the only response she got. "Fine. It's time, go do you, Balthy."

Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Balthazar swaggered towards the guards. Gabriel didn't stick around to see what happened, and instead ran around the side to the only window in the building. She kicked, thinking that maybe she should at least try to be a normal angel, and promptly hopped back in shocked pain. The glass was thick, the way bulletproof glass is. She cursed at herself for not anticipating it. Gabriel glanced down at her watch. Balthazar would be made soon. She'd have to hurry.

A flash of green caught her attention. Looking down, she realised that her clenched hands were glowing green with magic.

"Guess this is my only option," she muttered. She grinned in that way only Loki ever could and disappeared in a flash of green.

Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

She reappeared in an empty room, full of dusty shelves and desks. She cursed. The vault was in the exact center of the building, surrounded by offices and empty rooms that no longer had a purpose. Before the war with Lucifer, this building would have been filled with angels doing inventory and paperwork and whatnot. There simply weren't enough angels to have the building be completely functional. It made breaking into places easier.

She moved quickly through the room and into the hall. Similarly to the room she'd just left, the hall was devoid of anyone. Gabriel moved quickly and silently through the hall and out the door at the end.

She stopped. Looming in front of her were the doors of the vault. The last time she'd seen them, Michael had been coming out of them holding the weapon that would end the war, with such a bloody price that the doors had been locked and forbidden. Gabriel inhaled slowly and shoved the memory to the back of her mind.

She had a job to do. And the Trickster never failed.


	4. I’m On Their Side

The next day was chaotic. Raphael had gotten wind of the Vault Heist and was demanding that anyone

who was suspected of being on Castiel's side be searched. When dinner rolled around, he was

livid.

"Anyone in need of an empty vault?" Gabriel joked, trying to break the tense silence. Azrael looked at

her in alarm.

"Gabriel, this is no joking matter," she began. "If the resistance gets their hands on the weapons that

were locked in there, Heaven would be destroyed."

Gabriel shrugged. "Not necessarily. I think Castiel is doing the right thing here. He's the one who's

actually down there, working with the Winchesters to save and protect humanity, which, might I remind

you, is our actual mission."

Raphael glared. "Are you saying you're working against us, sister?"

"No," Gabriel rolled her eyes. "I'm saying I support Castiel over you, because, Raph, I love you, but

you're kinda a douche."

Uriel stared hard at her. "Careful, sister, you might cast suspicion upon yourself."

Gabriel stood and headed towards the door. "Why? Because I'm the Trickster, because at this point I'm

more pagan than angel?" She shook her head and turned to face her Family. "Never forget that I am not

who I was, and never assume to know who I am."

Raphael started to speak, but Gabriel ignored him and walked out.

Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Balthazar found her the next day at the training grounds, taking her frustration out on incompetent

seraphs. He approached her cautiously, wary of her flashing eyes and snapping fingers.

"Gabriel," he started. "Is there any particular reason you're giving the seraphs their, uh, just desserts?"

"They're all incompetent idiots. If they can't fight like a true soldier of Heaven, they deserve what they get."

Balthazar hummed, nodding. "Your siblings piss you off again, did they?"

"Screw you, Balthazar," Gabriel muttered angrily. Balthazar frowned and stood in front of his friend.

"Gabriel, I didn't do anything wrong," he stated flatly. "Don't take whatever your siblings did out on me."

Gabriel dropped her hands and glared at him. "You didn't do anything? How about you used me for my pagan magic so you could steal weapons? You used my magic so you could have something to blame, just like everyone else," she hissed.

Balthazar glared right back. "Don't get mad at me because you can't figure out how to fit in!" Gabriel stared at him in shock. "Oh don't give me that look, Gabriel! You're mad at Michael because you were forced into his war, mad at God for not fixing it, mad at Raphael for being Raphael! You're not mad at them, Gabe, you're mad at yourself because you left and now you aren't fitting in like you want! Get over it!"

Gabriel stood angrily, eyes flashing. "How dare you speak to me like that! I am —"

"An Archangel?" Balthazar scoffed. "Maybe I was wrong. You seem to be falling into your role of stuck-up royalty just fine." He turned on his heel and stalked away.

Gabriel was left standing in the suddenly silent grounds, surrounded by gawking angels. She glared. "What are you looking at?!" she yelled. "Get back to work!"

The angels slowly started to turn back to training. Gabriel glared around again for good measure, then spread her wings and took off in the opposite direction of Balthazar.

Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Azrael knocked hesitantly on the door to Gabriel's room. She'd stormed past the throne room earlier and had not come down for dinner.

"Gabriel, sister," Azrael called. "I know you're in here. Please, let me in."

The door opened onto an empty room. Azrael looked around in confusion, wondering how the door had unlocked and opened itself, when the bathroom door opened and Gabriel walked out.

Azrael's hands flew to her mouth in horrified shock. Gabriel had long blonde hair that Azrael had always envied. Gabriel had cut it short, like a boy's.

"What have you done?" Azrael asked quietly. Gabriel rolled her eyes.

"You know for the Archangel of Death, you're really dramatic," Gabriel snarked. "I just cut my hair."

"Oh, Gabriel, why?"

"Balthazar was right, Azzy," Gabriel stated. "I fell all too easily into the role of Heaven's Princess, but the truth is that I haven't been that person since I was twelve."

Azrael scrunched up her face in confusion. "How is cutting your hair fixing that?"

"It doesn't." Gabriel shrugged, smiling cheekily. "I just felt like it."

Azrael searched her sister's face, and sat down at Gabriel's desk. "What's wrong, Gabriel?"

Gabriel stared for a moment, then sighed and flopped gracelessly onto her bed, face down. "Bulthazeryuldameanhewasrie."

Azrael sighed. "Gabriel, I don't understand you when you talk to your bed."

Gabriel rolled over slowly. "Balthazar yelled at me and he was right."

"What was he right about?"

"He said I was mad because I left and now I don't fit in the same way." Gabriel sat up and stared hard at her sister. "But he manage me realize that I don't wanna fit in the same. I'm not the same."

Azrael reached towards her. "Gabriel, of course you aren't."

"Gotta admit," Gabriel said, "I wasn't expecting you to say that."

Azrael shrugged. "No one here is the same. You just need to find your new place."

"What do I do about Balthazar?"

Azrael smiled gently. "Go apologize."

Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Gabriel flew low and fast towards the house that Balthazar's tracker placed him at. She needed to apologize.

When she got to the house, she didn't bother to knock, instead going straight in, already calling Balthazar's name.

"Balthazar! I just wanted to say that you...were...right..." Gabriel trailed off awkwardly. Standing in front of her was Balthazar and he wasn't alone.

"Gabriel?!" Castiel asked in shock. Gabriel could only stare. "You died!"

"Yeah, it, uh, it didn't stick," Gabriel muttered. She turned to Balthazar. "You stole the weapons for Castiel."

"Yes I did," Balthazar stated simply. "How did you know I was here?"

Gabriel shrugged. "I put a tracking spell on you. Don't judge."

Balthazar gaped at her. "Sweetheart, I'm judging."

Gabriel shook her head in amusement, then turned to Castiel. "I want in." He just looked at her.

"Like I want to be on your side of this civil war," she clarified. Balthazar shook his head violently.

"Oh no. No, no, no, no!" Castiel and Gabriel both have him a puzzled look. "Gabriel, you're an Arch."

"Yup."

"Balthazar, Gabriel's support would be invaluable. Other angels will listen to her," Castiel reasoned. "We need her, even if she should be dead."

"Gabriel isn't the way you last met her as, Cassie," Balthazar started. Gabriel interrupted.

"Oh!" she shouted. "I remember, I came here to tell you you were right. I fell too easily into the role of royalty and I'm sorry. I'm also sorry for blaming you for using me for my magic, cuz I was the one who decided to help you."

Balthazar just nodded. Castiel looked between the two of them.

"I still do think you should stay low though," Balthazar said. "If Raphael catches you..."

Gabriel grinned wickedly. "Don't worry. I'm Loki Silvertongue. I started Ragnarok, I killed Baldur through someone else's hand. I can handle back alley propagandizing."

Castiel held out his hand. "Welcome to the second rebellion, sister."

Gabriel took it. "Glad to finally be on the right side of it, brother."


	5. Rebellious Of Daddy’s (Raphael’s) Plan

Despite Gabriel's new involvement in Castiel's crusade, the next few weeks were fairly quiet. Gabriel attributed this to the suspicious lack of Balthazar, and went about her normal routines, training fledglings and recruiting people to Castiel's side.

It wasn't until Clotho showed at Court one day that Gabriel allowed herself to really think something was wrong.

"Please," Clotho cried. "Please stop him. He'll ruin everything!"

Raphael inhaled sharply. "Who? Castiel?"

Clotho nodded. "He wants to unsink the Titanic!"

"Why," Gabriel drawled, "would Castiel want to unsink the Titanic?"

Clotho looked at Gabriel, who raised an eyebrow expectantly. Clotho shook her head a little, and looked back up at the Archangels. "He wants the—"

Clotho's voice cut out suddenly. She gasped a bit and cleared her throat. No luck. Her voice stayed gone.

"What is the meaning of this?" Raphael demanded impatiently. "Speak freely, Clotho. What does the traitor Castiel want?"

Gabriel sighed loudly. "Can't you see, brother? She can't speak. It seems her voice has left her."

Clotho stared at Gabriel, confused. Gabriel winked, eyes flashing green.

I can't have you spoiling all of Cassie's plans, now can I, Clotho? Gabriel's voice sounded in Clotho's mind.

Clotho eyes filled with betrayal as she stared the youngest Archangel. Then she spun on her heel and walked out of the Court.

Raphael watched her go silently. When he spoke, it was tense and angry. "Gabriel, sister," he began.

"Yes, brother?"

"I want you to find out what Castiel is planning and report back to me," Raphael snarled. "I will see him imprisoned, one way or another." Gabriel smirked.

"Of course, brother."

Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Gabriel had no intentions of helping Raphael, but she couldn't keep Castiel in the dark. With that in mind, Gabriel flew under the cover of darkness to Castiel's preferred heaven, an eternal Tuesday. When she arrived, Rachel was waiting for her, glaring.

"Castiel has better things to do than answer everyone's call," the shorter angel snapped. Gabriel snorted. It seemed Dean Winchester was still calling on his angel. Those two were so gay for each other it wasn't even funny.

"Don't worry, Rachel," Gabriel smiled sweetly. "I won't keep him long." She walked away towards the bench Castiel was seated on.

"You shouldn't be keeping him at all," Rachel muttered. Gabriel snickered softly as she kept walking.

Castiel sat on a bench, watching the man fly his kite. "Rachel said you had important news?"

"Yeah," Gabriel said. "Why do you keep her around?"

"Rachel," Castiel began slowly, "is a valuable member of our side. She is helpful in managing things when I am on Earth with Sam and Dean."

"Maybe so, but she's also a stuck up b—"

"Gabriel!" Castiel cut her off sharply. "Please don't speak ill of your fellow angels."

Gabriel smiled at him. "'Course I won't, Cassie."

Castiel gave her a look he had to have learned from Dean Winchester. "What did you want to tell me anyway, Gabriel?"

Gabriel's smile dropped. "Clotho. She showed up at Court today."

Castiel shrugged. "So?"

"So, whatever you want with the Titanic, Castiel, Raphael is onto you." Gabriel watched Castiel's face go through a myriad of emotions before settling into blankness.

"I suppose you want to know," Castiel stated. Gabriel nodded silently. "Balthazar is raising the Titanic so that I have enough souls to bring down Raphael."

Gabriel laughed, but the look on Castiel's face told her he was serious. "Castiel, that's insane! That's like opening Purgatory!" Castiel's face lit up in interest and Gabriel cursed herself for even saying. "Oh, no, no, no, Castiel, no. That was not an idea! I was being sarcastic!"

Castiel didn't listen. He simply stood and walked away. "Thank you for your help, Gabriel," he called over his shoulder. He took off, leaving Gabriel standing alone by the bench.

Gabriel watched him go, frustrated. "No way is this going to end well."

A week later, Gabriel was awakened in the middle of the night by weird shifting feeling in the center of her being. Shaking it off as nothing, she rolled over and went back to sleep.


	6. Don’t Step On That Fish, Castiel

Gabriel awoke to Uriel pounding on her door. Groaning in irritation, she pulled herself out of bed and opened the door.

"What," she glared. Uriel wasn't fazed.

"Something has happened, sister," he said. "Raphael requests our presence in the throne room."

Gabriel made a disgusted sound. "What time is it?" she held up a hand when Uriel started to answer. "No, don't tell me. I won't like the answer. Just...Just gimme five minutes and I'll be down."

Uriel nodded silently and headed back down towards the throne room. Gabriel watched him go for a moment, then shut her door and sighed. What had Castiel done now?

Illlllllllllllllllllllllllll

Raphael was more frazzled than Gabriel had ever seen. He paced in front of the throne, running his hands through a bird's nest of dark hair. Gabriel watched in amusement from beside her siblings. Finally Azrael took pity on him.

"Raphael, why have you called us here?" she asked softly. Raphael looked up sharply.

"Isn't it obvious?" he hissed. "That traitorous rat Castiel has succeeded in his endeavors." He was met with blank looks from Uriel and Azrael. "He's changed history! He raised the Titanic! An event I instructed you, Gabriel," he turned and pointed at her viciously," to stop!"

Gabriel shrugged, unaffected. "I'm not all-powerful. Tried my best."

"I don't believe you did, _sister,_ " Raphael sneered.

"Doesn't really matter what _you_ think," Gabriel retorted. " _You're_ not Father, no matter how hard you try to play God."

Raphael backhanded her across the face. Unprepared for that, Gabriel fell to the floor. Azrael gasped in horror.

"I," Raphael spat, "am your _better._ I am your _elder_ and you will treat me with respect, you insolent _child!_ "

Gabriel stood, staring defiantly back at Raphael. Eyes glinting angrily, she spoke low and dangerous. "You've made an enemy, brother. I Judge you, and find you wanting." Gabriel left the Throne Room with her magic sparking green at her fingertips.

Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllll"You should not have done that." Uriel watched his youngest sister leave the room, her entire posture tense and furious. Only when the door was shut behind her did he turn to face Raphael."Have you any idea the events you've set in motion with your actions?"

Raphael collapsed onto the steps of the dias, rubbing his face. "No, Uriel, I don't. That's your job."

Azrael stepped up beside him. "Gabriel can't be serious. She's the youngest, she'll come around."

"Will she?" Uriel asked. He sat down on a step across from Raphael. Azrael nodded, self-assuredly.

"Of course she will," she stated. "She can't stay mad forever."

Uriel sighed. "Gabriel's always been more like Lucifer than any of us. She's headstrong and powerful, not to mention well-liked among the people."

Raphael stood. "None of that matters. The people will desert her when they find out that she is in collaboration with the traitor Castiel, even if she is the Princess Gabriel."

Uriel rolled his eyes. "You aren't getting it. She's not just a Princess of Heaven anymore. She's Loki. She's pagan, the Trickster who fooled all of Creation into believing she was _dead_ , and you've made her _angry._ "

Azrael paled, finally understanding the gravity of the situation. "Gabriel, she... she can ruin Raph." Uriel nodded. "What can we do?"

Raphael raised his head and looked his siblings in the eyes. "We distract her with something to care about. And if she strays again, we take it away."

Illllllllllllllllllllllllll

Gabriel flew fast and hard towards Castiel's preferred heaven. When she landed in front of Castiel, she glared fiercely at the other angels until they left.

"You need to fix this mess you made," Gabriel snapped the moment she and Castiel were alone.

"I already sent Balthazar to resink the Titanic," he replied.

"You did?" Gabriel sagged, the wind taken out of her sails.

"Yes. Atropos tried to kill Dean and Sam and I couldn't allow that to happen." Castiel explained.

"Oh, I see," Gabriel smirked. "You aborted your plans to save your boyfriend."

Confusion appeared on Castiel's face. "Dean is not my boyfriend, Gabriel."

Gabriel winked. "Sure he isn't." Castiel tried to refute her claim again, but Gabriel just laughed and spread her wings. "Make sure you invite me to your wedding!"

With that, she took off for the castle and her bed.

A nap was in order for the rest of her day.


	7. Time To Grow Up

It was a few weeks before Raphael's plan to control Gabriel came into effect. He summoned her to the Court one Thursday afternoon, and she went warily.

The moment she stepped foot into the Court room, she knew it was a mistake.

"Gabriel." Raphael beckoned her closer. Azrael brought forward a young fledgling, and Gabriel's feeling of apprehension grew. "This is Samandriel."

Samandriel waved shyly at Gabriel, who smiled back at him. The fledgling, no older than twelve years of age, had dark brown hair and blue eyes, a light spattering of freckles dusting his face. Try as she might, Gabriel couldn't match his features to any angel she'd met since her return. She looked up at her brother.

"Whose fledgling is he?" she demanded. Raphael didn't answer. "Raphael. Who are his parents?"

"He's an orphan of the averted Apocalypse," Azrael answered. "His parents were killed defending the thirty-third seal broken."

Raphael smiled sharply at Gabriel. "Congratulations, sister. You're a mother."

Silence. And then — "WHAT!?"

"Yes," Raphael answered calmly. "You are the legal guardian of young Samandriel. He'll be taking the rooms across from you."

"No." Gabriel shook her head emphatically. She grabbed Saman — screw it, she's calling him Sam — by the hand and drew him closer to her. "If I'm his guardian, he's staying with me. I have two rooms. He'll stay in one of those."

"As you wish." Raphael waved them off. Gabriel led Sam out of the Court and to their rooms, a plan forming in her mind.

Balthazar did owe her.

"You're his guardian?"

Balthazar was sitting next to Sam on Gabriel's bed. Both of them were watching Gabriel pace back and forth. Gabriel ran a hand through her hair and nodded.

"Some harebrained scheme of Raphael's, I expect." Gabriel snorted. "He probably thinks Sam'll be his way of controlling me. As if he could ever."

Balthazar looked down at the fledgling next to him. "Your name is Sam?"

Sam shook his head. "My name is Samandriel."

Gabriel scoffed. "Look at him!" she cried, waving a hand at Samandriel. "His name is bigger than he is!" This was somewhat true. Sam was indeed small for his age. "No. I'm calling him Sam."

Balthazar arched an eyebrow. "And this has nothing to do with you being to lazy to say Samandriel?" Gabriel glared. Sam giggled.

"Balthazar?"

"Yes, Gabriel?"

"Shut up."

"What if I don't want to?"

"Is Balthazar going to be my other new guardian?" Sam asked curiously. The bickering stopped and both adults turned to look at him. Gabriel had a mischievous glint in her eyes and Sam assumed he'd come to fear what that glint may mean one day. Balthazar paled.

"Seeing as how this is his fault — " Gabriel mused.

"WHAT!?"

"Yes, I rather think so, Sam."

Samandriel's constant presence (and questions) forced Gabriel to pull back on her recruitment work for Castiel. She couldn't risk Sam falling into Raphael's hands. It was, she reflected with some bitterness, exactly what Raphael had wanted.

In an attempt to keep Sam from taking Raphael's side, she told him stories of Castiel and how good he was. It was one of these stories that led to the most stressful day since her return.

"I taught Castiel to fly, y'know," Gabriel remarked as they watched seraphs practice mid-flight fighting. "He was a natural. Took to the air like a moose to hunting." She glanced at Sam, who was uncharacteristically silent. "What's the matter, Sam?"

He looked up at her with hopeful eyes. "Can you teach me to fly, Gabriel?" He asked her eagerly.

She looked at him in shock. "Your parents never taught you?" Most fledglings started flying when they turned eight or nine.

Sam shook his head. "They said I could learn when I turned ten, but then the seals started breaking and then Mum n' Dad died." Gabriel felt a shot of sympathy go through her.

"Course I'll teach you to fly, Sam. We can start after lunch."

Gabriel was beginning to regret agreeing to teach Sam to fly. He was enthusiastic and hyper—thanks to Gabriel's insatiable sweet tooth, they ate ice cream for lunch—and Gabriel was getting a headache from it.

...Angels don't _get_ headaches.

"Shoulda roped Balthazar into this," Gabriel muttered. She cringed as Sam tripped over his wings. Again. For the fifth time. "Sam! C'mere, kid!"

Sam came running. He skidded to a stop in front of Gabriel and snapped to attention. "Yes, Gabriel?"

"Stretch out your wings, kiddo," Gabriel told him, demonstrating by unfurling her own wings. Samandriel unfolded his own tawny wings and glanced around at his surroundings.

"Hey, Gabriel?" he started. "Where are we?"

"A human's heaven," she answered. "One particularly windy coastal cliff."

Sam nodded as if this made sense to him. "Why are we here?"

Gabriel grinned sharply, Trickster eyes glinting. "You're going to jump."

.

.

.

"WHAT!?" Sam screeched. "I could die!"

Gabriel remained calm. "You won't."

"You don't know that!" Sam wondered if Gabriel had gone mad.

"I do," she stated calmly. "Either your wings will catch you and you'll fly, or they won't and I'll catch you. In which case, I'll push you off again." Sam stared at the Arch in thinly masked horror. Gabriel sighed. "When you've got the basic mechanics of flying down, we can work on technique. Now off you go, bird. Jump."

Sam walked to edge of the cliff and hesitated. This turned out to be a mistake, because after a minute passed, Gabriel came up behind him and pushed him off.

He screamed the whole way down.


	8. And Now It’s Starting All Over Again

Say what you want about Gabriel's teaching methods, they were effective. The end of the week saw Sam flying himself. Gabriel decided it was high time she visited Castiel and introduced Sam.

So that weekend she dragged Sam out of the castle and off to Castiel's preferred heaven. The meeting went less than the way she expected.

"Gabriel!" Castiel called. "Who is this with you?"

"Oh," Gabriel replied, setting a hand on Sam's shoulder. "This is Sam." Sam waved.

"Hello, Castiel," Sam said excitedly. "Gabriel told me all about you." Castiel, unsurprisingly, did not look so enthused.

"Did she now?" Castiel replied, giving Gabriel a look.

Gabriel grinned. "Nothin bad, Cassie, promise."

Castiel did not look as though this was a particularly reassuring thing, and promptly changed the subject. "Gabriel, might I ask why you're here? And why you brought a fledgling?"

"I came to tell you that I have to back off of supporting your rebellion," Gabriel explained, face serious. "Sam's here because I don't trust Raphael."

"Gabriel says Raphael is a douchebag," Sam reported to Castiel. The seraph glanced at Gabriel eyebrow raised. Gabriel grinned sheepishly.

"I'm new to the whole raising a kid thing," she explained. "I never had to censor my language as Loki. It's harder than I expected."

"Balthazar!" Samandriel cried, running over to the angel. "I didn't know you'd be here!"

"It's mutual, Sam." Balthazar glanced at Gabriel, who shrugged.

"I thought Sam could use the training and what better teacher than Castiel?" Gabriel explained. Castiel raised his hands in surrender and backed away.

"You can't turn him into a soldier, Gabriel, that's not how parenting works," Balthazar shot back.

"It's either this or the Re-education Center," Gabriel reasoned. She wasn't prepared for the horrified glares she got from Balthazar and Castiel.

"You'd really send Sam to Naomi?" Balthazar asked. Gabriel grimaced.

"Naomi? That bitchy little angel who was always following Michael and Raphael around?" Balthazar looked exasperated at her wording, but nodded. "Who put her in charge of the Re-Education Center?"

"Michael did," Castiel said slowly, as though he was questioning her sanity. "And please, Gabriel, don't speak ill of your fellow angels. Naomi isn't that bad, she's just doing her job."

"Yeah, only her job is literally brainwashing angels," Balthazar deadpanned.

Gabriel glared at him. "Not helpful, Balthazar. My point is, I'd rather Samandriel be educated by Castiel than one of Michael and Raphael's lackeys. Will you do it, Castiel? For me?"

Castiel looked like he'd rather not, but caved when he saw Samandriels puppy eyes. "Alright, Gabriel, I'll do my best."

IllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllI

Samandriel stood nervously in front of Castiel. The older seraph suddenly seemed a lot more imposing now that Gabriel had left. She'd swanned off with Balthazar forever ago and Samandriel had been left standing there waiting for Castiel to finish his -- oh. He'd finished.

"You're a great deal more patient than Gabriel, at least," Castiel said. "She would have left impatiently by now."

Samandriel grinned. "Mother said that a patient angel is a successful angel. Father agreed."

"What happened to your parents?" Castiel asked. "How did you end up with Gabriel?"

"Mother and Father were killed protecting one of the seals," Samandriel answered promptly. "Gabriel is my legal guardian because Raphael said she is." This didn't seem to do much in the way of reassuring Castiel.

"Do you like Raphael, Samandriel?"

Samandriel took a moment to think about this. "No. Him and Michael started the Apocalypse and that's what killed my mom and dad. And he's mean to Gabriel."

Castiel smirked a knowing kind of smirk. "I think you're going to fit in perfectly," he told Samandriel. "Fly on home to Gabriel. We'll start tomorrow at six am promptly. Do not be late."

"Yes, sir," Samandriel answered, then he spread his wings and took flight.

Castiel watched him fly away before he left Heaven, going back to Earth. That Purgatory idea of Gabriel's was worth checking out.

IllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllI

Gabriel took a sharp left after they were out of Castiel's base heaven and landed hard in an empty field — some sad human's Fourth of July heaven. Balthazar landed right behind her and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Princess?" he asked cautiously. "What's wrong? You're all tense."

She glared at him. "Don't. Call me. Princess." she snarled. "What aren't you telling me?"

Balthazar let out a short laugh. "Whaddaya mean, Gabriel?" he asked awkwardly, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"You know." she stated flatly. "Something is wrong with everything. What did those asshats do to my home?"

"Nothing you need to worry about," Balthazar replied. Gabriel shook her head, pointing viciously at him.

"You're lying," she accused. "Your hands shake when you lie, and you shoved them in your pockets."

"Seriously, Gabriel," Balthazar insisted. "Heaven is fine. You don't need to worry. There's enough on your plate right now."

"I know you're still lying," Gabriel said, spreading her wings. "I'm gonna find out what's going on and I will fix my city."

With that, she flew away. Balthazar watched her become a distant speck in the sky, then he cursed and kicked the sand. "She's going to get herself in serious trouble," he whispered, raising his hands. "And I can't stop her." He stared down at his still shaky hands, then glanced back at where Gabriel had disappeared. His Princess was on the path of certain death.


	9. You Guys Are Getting Better

Gabriel managed to convince Balthazar that she would leave the topic of Heaven's problems alone for the time being. At least, she thought had. She hadn't brought it up again and neither had Balthazar so she considered the matter closed and resolved to check it out later, when the problem next presented itself.

The more immediate issue was Castiel. She hadn't spoken to him in awhile as both of them had been busy with their respective jobs, but Balthazar was keeping her informed of what was going on. Then shit went sideways and Balthazar disappeared (everyone said he was dead, but Gabriel was the Trickster, and she knew his ass was slumming it on Earth with the weapons to escape Castiel and Raphael. She conveniently forgot to mention this to anybody else). So when she finally met up with him and caught up with what had been happening, she just about strangled him.

"The fuck you mean you're working with Crowley?" she yelled. "Have you lost your Dad-damned mind? He's a demon, Castiel, _a fucking demon,_ and not even one of the good ones!" Rachel started forward as if to defend Castiel, and Gabriel pushed her back with her Grace. "Rachel, I swear to Lucifer, do not even right now."

Rachel ignored her. "You can't talk to Castiel that way. He's the leader of the revolution."

Gabriel rounded on her, beyond pissed. "Bitch, I practically raised this idiot, I taught him how to fly his ass around, don't you fucking _dare_ tell me I can't talk to him however the fuck I want." Rachel nodded meekly and fled, leaving Castiel and Gabriel alone.

"Gabriel," Castiel attempted, "it was your idea."

"NO, this is where you zip it, the Archangel is talking," Gabriel shut him down. "No fucking excuses, Castiel. What in the hell even made you _think_ , for one damn second, that opening Purgatory, and working with a demon to do it, was _ever_ a good idea?!"

Castiel looked at her cautiously. "You said that opening Purgatory for souls would give me more power."

"And immediately told you it was a bad idea!" she ranted. "I fucking meant it, idiot! There is bad shit in Purgatory and to make matters worse, your little demon deal has Raphael on your tail because he's not a damn idiot!"

Castiel just stared at her. She turned away and ran a hand through her hair. "Do the Winchesters know?" she asked calmly. Castiel didn't answer her, which was answer enough. "I didn't think so."

"I didn't think—"

"No, you really didn't, because I know, _I KNOW_ , that Dean Winchester would not put up with your shit," she told him. "You need to get your feathered ass down there and tell those boys what the fuck is going on with you, and I mean every-damn-thing, because if you didn't mention your whole thing with Crowley, I am willing to bet you sure as fuck didn't mention what's been happening here, and you cannot afford to lose them, because frankly, they're the best damn thing to happen to you."

She didn't wait to hear his response or watch him leave. She flew back to the castle and went straight to her room, and sat on her bed, still fuming. Azrael knocked on her door.

"Are you alright, sister?" she called through the door. Gabriel got up and let her in. "You look angry."

"I'm fine," Gabriel told her. "It's just... It's just everything."

Azrael met her eyes, nodding. "Things have really gone sideways, haven't they?"

Gabriel sat on a chair, leaning back. "Do you ever miss it?"

"What?"

"The way things were, before." Gabriel didn't have to specify. "Things were so much simpler."

"Well, yeah," Azrael answered. "We all do, but Lucifer made his decisions and we can't go back and change them."

"Way to be comforting, Rae Rae," Gabriel snarked. She flopped over and stretched out over the chair. Azrael sat on her bed.

"Didn't you know? That's my best subject."

Gabriel snorted, her anger dissipating, and the two sisters laughed like they hadn't since before the War.

Cas stood alone for a long time after Gabriel left. She hadn't gone off on him like that, like an Archangel reprimanding a seraph, since before Lucifer's Fall. It was... He didn't know, but when he left, he found himself going towards the Winchesters. Maybe it really was time to tell them.

Dean sat at Bobby's table, forgotten beer in hand, staring at Cas. "What the hell, Cas?"

"I believe that Heaven would be more appropriate, Dean," Cas replied calmly. Dean frowned.

"Since when do you _joke_?" he asked. Cas shrugged. "And why do you think Gabriel's alive?"

"Gabriel says that humor makes me more 'relatable'," he responded.

Sam leaned forward. "Cas, you... you remember that Gabriel died, right?" he reminded gently. "He gave his life to help stop Lucifer."

"No," Cas stated simply. "She tricked him, tricked everyone, even our father." Both Winchesters gaped at him.

"Can all you angels do that?" Bobby asked. "Or is it just the Archangels?"

"It's just Gabriel," Cas explained. "She has a very particular skill set that lets her do that."

"Wait. _She_?" Dean cried.

"Yes," Cas stated simply. "It was just her vessel that was male."

Dean sat, speechless for a moment, then he slammed his bottle down on the table and stood. "That's it, we're summoning the son of a bitch."

Fifteen minutes later, all four of them stood in Bobby's backyard, ready to summon an angel. At Dean's nod, Sam started reading the Latin spell.

 _"Invoco per gratiam_ ," he chanted, then dropped one of Cas' feathers into the bowl of holy oil in front of him. " _Invoco per sanguinem foederis_ ," he drew a knife across his palm and bled into the bowl, " _O Gabriel, respondendum meae ego præcipio tibi."_ He picked up the bowl and poured the mixture out in a circle as he spoke. " _Veni."*_

Silence fell after Sam finished. "What, is that it?" Dean asked. Sam nodded, looking a little confused.

"Gabriel should have appeared in the circle," he answered. "I did everything the spell said."

"Yeah, and it would have worked," came a distinctly female voice from behind them. They spun to see a blonde woman grinning at them. "Except I don't like that particular spell. Very long, very bloody. Yuck. I don't really like blood all that much."

"Who are you?" Dean demanded. Sam stood behind him, staring at the blonde. She was tall, nearly Cas' height, and had an athletic build. She had longish blonde hair braided and hanging over her shoulder. Her grin was a little crooked, mischievous and calculating in an almost dark way. Her eyes danced in amusement, and Sam recognized them. Sunlight-through-whiskey, honeyed amber-gold, giving off the impression of glowing with power. He could swear he'd met her before.

"I'm Gabriel," she said. "You literally just summoned me?" She looked over at Sam. "Heya, Samsquatch. Long time, no see, eh?"

He didn't look very happy to see her.

"You're Gabriel," Dean stated flatly.

"Yup."

"You're a girl," he continued. Gabriel shrugged. "Why?"

"Why are you a guy?" she shot back. "It's the way I was made, Dean-o, and I happen to think I'm fabulous."

"But then—"

"Look," Gabriel interrupted. "Not that I'm not thrilled to see you're alive, but is there an actual _reason_ you summoned me? I was in Court, and I need to get back soon."

Dean gestured to Cas. "He informed us that you weren't actually dead." A look passed between Gabriel and Cas that Dean couldn't identify. "Along with some other crap."

"Good." Gabriel moved past both the brothers and Cas and walked over to Bobby. "Mr. Singer, I don't believe we've met," she said, holding out a hand. "I'm Gabriel."

"I'm aware," Bobby said gruffly. He didn't take her hand. "You're the Trickster behind Mystery Spot and the TV Land."

Gabriel winced and pulled her hand back. "Ah. Yes. That was... yeah." It was first time either Sam or Dean had seen Gabriel look and act awkward. Bobby regarded her coolly for a moment before shaking her hand.

"It was your help that gave us the way to lock the Devil back in his Cage," he said. "Thanks for that." He turned away and headed back up to the house.

Gabriel turned to the Winchesters. "I like him."

Sam looked at her, almost angry. "Why'd you let us think you were dead? You could have helped us!"

"Okay, one, I already fought Luci once, you really think I wanted to get between him and Michael?" Gabriel snapped at him. "Two, I kinda went overboard on the whole tricking Lucifer thing, and I was actually out for almost a year. I almost died."

Cas glared. "Everyone in Heaven thought she was actually dead."

"Hell of a trick." Sam looked at Gabriel with an unreadable look. "Why didn't you come back to Earth after you woke up?"

"Yeah," Dean added, "for saying you're on our side, you're real buddy-buddy with your fellow angels. Almost like you're on Raphael's side."

"As Castiel can attest to, I do have actual duties to attend to," Gabriel snapped icily. "I'll be returning to them now. Do try not to fuck the world over again."

Before any of them could respond, she was gone. Cas turned to the brothers. "That went better than expected."

Gabriel returned silently to her throne in the Court and saw the rest of the session out smoothly. At the end, Raphael turned to her.

"I noticed you leave, sister," he drawled. "Where did you go?"

"I answered a summons, Raphael." She stood and started towards the doors.

"Gabriel!" She turned to face her brother. "Who summoned you?"

"No one, brother," she answered softly. "Just someone who wanted the Trickster."

"And?"

"I informed them that I was no longer the Trickster and would not be returning to it." She didn't stay to see the triumphant smile spread over Raphael's face.

 ** ***Translation for the spell:****

 _By the grace of god I call on thee. By the blood of this covenant I call on thee. Answer my summons oh Gabriel I command thee. Come._


End file.
